Drug Defendants To Be Arraigned

June 07, 1985|By Michael O`Donnell.

The first chance for major-league baseball players to be embarrassed by the drug trafficking case in Pittsburgh comes up Friday, but a U.S. attorney said it isn`t likely players` names will be mentioned during arraignments for six of seven men charged in a federal grand jury investigation.

U.S. Atty. J. Alan Johnson said he expected only a brief proceeding before a federal magistrate.

``They all plead not guilty at this stage, primarily,`` Johnson said.

At least a dozen players testified before the grand jury, most under grants of immunity, and at least three of them had undergone drug

rehabilitation.

A study of the indictments showed more than two-thirds of the 165 violations charged to the defendants were alleged to have occurred on dates from 1980 through 1984 when the Pittsburgh Pirates played home games. One of the defendants is accused of selling cocaine on every date in 1983 the team was in Pittsburgh, playing or on a day off.

-- A committee of doctors will meet Monday in New York to determine the playing future of San Diego Padres` second baseman Alan Wiggins, who recently completed a month of drug rehabilitation. The Padres have banished Wiggins from the squad for the remainder of the season, an apparent violation of last year`s agreement between baseball owners and the Major League Players Association. Because the Padres are barring Wiggins from rejoining the team, his case must be determined by the committee, composed of three doctors. It will review Wiggins` medical records and decide if he should be returned to active status.

EX-JAZZ PLAYER REHABILITATING

Former Utah Jazz player John Drew was to enter a drug rehabilitation program Thursday after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of issuing bad checks.

Drew, 30, was given a year`s suspended sentence by Judge Paul Grant and ordered to enter the Highland Ridge drug program in Salt Lake City.

Drew, a 10-year veteran of the NBA, had been in the Salt Lake City jail, unable to meet his $10,000 bail, since May 24, when he was charged with issuing five bad checks during March.

Defense attorney Thomas Rasmussen said: ``He`s very interested in erasing any stigma that has attached to his name, and (the program) would be an excellent way to prove himself. He needs a clean bill of health before any NBA team will look at him.``

-- Lawyers for a former Tulane basketball player accused of shaving points moved to prove a New Orleans businessman tainted the case by entering secret grand jury proceedings. David Dominique`s lawyers had asked to have the indictment against their client thrown out, claiming that Edward F. Kohnke IV entered the grand jury room while a panel was hearing evidence against the player. Kohnke, an avid supporter of Tulane athletics, is credited with helping the district attorney break the case.

-- Dan Issel of the Denver Nuggets has been named winner of the Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America.

BADGERED BY SPORTS RAFFLE

University of Wisconsin regent M. William Gerrard said the university`s governing board, not chancellor Irving Shain, should have the final say on if the school`s athletic department may accept money raised by a statewide raffle.

Shain said the board had a right to review his decision forbidding the sports department from accepting proceeds from the Great Badger Sports Raffle. The raffle offers chances to win a $125,000 home or $100,000 cash, with winners to be named at halftime of a Wisconsin football game on Nov. 23. Promoters say they expect the raffle to raise $1 million to $2 million.

Wednesday, Shain told athletic director Elroy Hirsch to inform Butch`s Badger Benefit that it would be ``inappropriate`` for the sports department to accept any proceeds from the raffle.

-- Three members of Creighton University`s search committee for an athletic director have criticized school president Michael Morrison for disregarding their recommendation. Committee chairman Ross Horning said in a letter to search committee members that the committee`s work turned out to be a ``charade.`` The nine-member search committee was unanimous in picking Ron Wellman, Northwestern baseball coach and former Elmhurst College athletic director. Morrison hired Don Leahy, Nebraska-Omaha athletic director and Morrison`s friend and former teaching colleague.

CHECKS TAKE BAD BOUNCE

Paychecks for the USFL San Antonio Gunslingers did not arrive Thursday despite threats to boycott Sunday`s game against the Los Angeles Express. If owner Clinton Manges does not clear at least the May 14 payroll by 4 p.m. Saturday, the Gunslingers become free agents. ``Unless these guys are paid, there will be no game,`` linebacker Putt Choate said.

GOOD SPORTS

Less than two weeks after 38 soccer fans died in Brussels in a riot of soccer fans from Italy and England, the two national teams entered Mexico City`s Aztec Stadium together for an exhibition game in a show of solidarity. During the game, when a player fell or took a hard tackle, an opponent often extended his hand to help him up. ``They wouldn`t do that in a normal match,`` said one British soccer writer. Italy won 2-1.